A growing number of unstaffed convenience stores have opened globally in recent years, with both leading retailers and pure-play unstaffed stores trialling and scaling their own concepts. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has accelerated the potential of these stores, enabling contact-free shopping, while providing a safe and efficient customer experience.
In Sweden, pure-play unstaffed store chains include Lifvs and Automat. Both have new sites under construction, with Lifvs targeting 300 stores. Market leader ICA has also trialled an unstaffed store, while Coop Sverige is testing two unstaffed stores this autumn. Reitangruppen is one of the latest leading retailers to launch its own unstaffed store concept, Pressbyrån Go.
Reitangruppen operates kiosk-style stores across the Nordics and Baltics, as well as having the license to operate 7-Eleven in the region.
As the biggest convenience store operator in the Nordics and Baltics with over 2,300 stores, if Reitan Convenience’s store concept is rolled out regionally, it would be game-changing for the future of convenience retailing in northern Europe.
Reitan Convenience, has partnered with brand and design agency, Reactor Sweden on its 2020 and 2024 strategies, as well as on Pressbyrån Go.
Reactor Sweden recently received an award from Reitan Convenience Sweden.
‘This year's partner for Reitan Convenience Sweden AB's construction and establishment department 2020 is the concept agency Reactor. The collaboration has been going on for just over a year and spans a number of projects, from the unmanned store Pressbyrån Go to developing the Pressbyrån of the future and 7-Eleven stores. Reactor has shown a speed that has made it possible to realize several projects in record time’.
‘The collaboration has been going on for just over a year and spans a number of projects, from the unmanned store Pressbyrån Go to developing the Pressbyrån of the future and 7-Eleven stores. Reactor has shown a speed that has made it possible to realize several projects in record time.’
Image Source: Reactor Sweden, Reitan Convenience
In this exclusive interview, we talk to Björn Drawfarc, Managing Director of Reactor Sweden. Before joining Reactor Sweden in 2016, Björn was Retail Concept Director at Coop Sverige. In this role, he was responsible for the development and roll out of new formats, profiles, retail concepts and category development.
We discuss:
- How grocery retailers are reconsidering their concept design priorities amidst the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
- How Reactor are supporting Reitan Convenience with its 2020 and 2024 strategies for Pressbyrån and 7-Eleven
- Reitan Convenience’s growth ambitions to double food and grocery sales in Sweden
- The development of the Pressbyrån Go unstaffed convenience concept, considering its role and range
- Anthroproecene and how it will impact grocery retail store design in the future